Tips for Safe Online Shopping and Surfing

Surfing the Internet is fun, and shopping online is quite convenient. However, modern computer users have to exercise extreme caution when they are using the Internet. More than 16 million people fall victim to identity theft each year, and more than 12 million people are victims to computer virus attacks. Computer users have to be smart in their online endeavors. The following are some tips on being safe during online surfing:

Use Private Browsing

Private browsing is a safe option that most browsers offer Internet users. The private browsing option allows Internet users to safely browse the Internet without exposing their IP address to any browser tracking programs. Firefox offers that option, and users can activate it by stopping by clicking on the upper right corner of their browser and then clicking on the mask that signifies the private browsing experience.

Purchase Internet Security

Several of the top Internet security companies offer suites that people can purchase for their online browsing experiences. McAfee and Norton are two of the top providers of Internet security suites. The suites offer real-time protection against viruses, hackers, phishing attempts and more.

Only Use Secure Shopping Sites

Another way that Internet users can protect themselves is by ensuring that they are only shopping on secure sites. Secure sites have web addresses that start with https:// as opposed to http://. The https:// at the beginning of the web address signifies that the information on a website is encrypted. A hacker cannot decipher the personal information that is encrypted on a website.

Make Passwords Long and Complex

Another strategy that one can use while he or she is online is creating long and complex passwords for all websites. Passwords should be more than six characters long, and they should consist of a healthy combination of letters and numbers. Additionally, the person will want to change the passwords at least once every three months.

Delete History and Passwords

An Internet user can perform a few cleaning tasks to ensure that he or she stays safe while using the computer. One cleaning task that the person can perform is deleting history. The other task the person can perform is clearing the cache. Finally, the Internet user can clear passwords. All such tasks can be performed under the browser options menu.

Staying safe can keep a computer user free of unnecessary losses and nuisances. The previously mentioned tips provide an excellent start to a life of safe browsing.